Violence upswing prompts discussion

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Gun availability was one topic of high concern.

By PATRICIA MEADE

VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — The chairman of city council's safety committee says council is prepared to offer police whatever resources are needed to curb violence.

Aiming comments to Police Chief Jimmy Hughes, Councilman Mark Memmer, D-7th, said the resources include funds for police overtime and activities for youths. Memmer said to make things happen takes money.

Crime was the topic of council's safety committee meeting Monday evening in council chambers. Shootings, unruly crowds and fights in the Uptown area of Market Street and further south at Market and Midlothian Boulevard over the July 29-30 weekend prompted discussion.

Those attending the meeting included Mayor Jay Williams, Municipal Judges Robert A. Douglas Jr., Elizabeth A. Kobly and Robert P. Milich, Mahoning County Sheriff Randall A. Wellington, county Juvenile Judge Theresa Dellick, City Prosecutor Jay Macejko and Youngstown State University Campus Police Chief Jack Gocala.

Hughes said he's stressing extra police on the streets — in the hot spots — as a crime deterrent. He said officers have identified and targeted dangerous individuals and continue to investigate gang activity.

The chief said extra police eliminated crowds, especially on the South Side near the Red Room, a Market Street bar, this past weekend. He said seven or eight arrests were made, with drugs and four guns confiscated.

Judge Douglas said it troubles him that guns are so readily available.

A 13-year-old with a gun, he said, is a powerful person — "you will do anything he says." The judge said he thinks that if not for all the available guns "we may not be having this discussion."

Juvenile crimes

Hughes said the city's 11 p.m. curfew is being enforced but is time consuming because the juveniles must be turned over to a parent or guardian. He said three juveniles were found out past curfew over the weekend.

Williams said he's looking for a third-party provider to hold curfew violating juveniles until they can be turned over to a parent or guardian. Since the crime is a minor misdemeanor, it is not a jailable offense, so housing at the juvenile detention center is not an option.

Judge Dellick said 55 percent of the juvenile court's cases come from the city and 30 percent of those from the South Side. She said her facility has 40 beds and can hold only those accused of top-level felonies.

Hughes said he's working with federal agents to serve outstanding warrants beginning next month. He's also pursuing the idea of a tip line, where crimes can be reported.

The mayor said he's working with police and the city prosecutor to assess and shut down nuisance spots. He would like to bring back the federal Gun Reduction Interdiction Project that was so successful in reducing crime in the summer of 2003.

He's also in talks with county officials to resolve the lack of county jail space for city inmates. "We can pull all the bad guys off the streets, but if there's not a place to house them we defeat ourselves," he said.

Williams said he's made inquiries with the private prison on Hubbard Road about housing city inmates. The prison has no room now but is looking to expand and could allocate bed space to the city, he said.

Tuesday, August 8, 2006